The subject matter of this invention is basically similar to the structure which is defined in U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,464, issued Aug. 1, 1978, by the present inventor and a Melvin G. Green.
The current construction technique of houses and buildings requires the placing of insulation within the exterior walls of the structure. The most economical way of accomplishing this is to employ a pad of fiberglass insulation material, usually three to four inches thick. On one side of the fiberglass there is located a backing strip which is usually of paper. This backing strip provides sufficient strength to the overall structure to facilitate installation and location within the opening between the studs and between the inner and outer wall surfaces of the wall.
Usually the amount and quality of insulation installed in the wall is what is minimally required. After the structure is built and occupied, at some later date, the owenrs of the property may desire to place further insulation within the walls.
The normal procedure previously was to cut a plurality of access openings through the exterior wall surface which connect with the interior openings or chambers within the wall with there being at least two in number of such chambers between each pair of studs. A tubular member of conduit would then be inserted through the access opening and in direct contact with the fiberglass insulation pad. Pulverized insulation would then be blown through the conduit into the wall chamber. However, because of the inherent "flimsiness" of the fiberglass insulation pad, the blown insulation would tend to quickly pack around the access opening. As a result, only a small amount of insulation could be blown into the wall chamber.
This problem is particularly compounded when the exterior wall surface is formed substantially thick. The aforementioned patent was directed to a structure which was designed to operate with a thin exterior wall surface such as a stucco wall surface. However, the tool defined and claimed in the aforementioned patent could not be used with a thick exterior wall surface such as a brick wall surface.
It would have been more desirable to conduct the insulation into the wall chamber through the inner surface of the wall. However, this would require a substantial number of access openings to be formed through the interior walls of the building or house. This is just not feasible as the holes would require substantial remodeling within the interior of the structure and damage to the interior furnishings could result due to the presence of workmen and equipment. The reason it was so desirable to place the insulation from the inside was that the tool could come into contact with the backing layer of material which would supply sufficient rigidity. As the insulation is blown into the wall chamber, the backing layer of material with the aid of air pressure, will merely push against the fiberglass, thereby forming an enlarged area for the blown insulation to be received.